You didn’t just know Larry Duckwall you experienced him. He had a mischievous sense of humor and amazing intellect. The East Branch of the Delaware, his fisherman friends, his family and his beautiful wife Joan. “Saint Joan” were in his heart. He taught Sunday school in Oneonta, N.Y. Dave Brandt (fly tier extraordinaire) was one of his students. I’ve read Sunday School class consisted mostly of fishing talk. When I first opened the Little Lehigh Fly shop, Larry’s enthusiasm and encouragement off set the discouraging negative comments of the it will never work crowd. Larry was an action speaks louder than words guy. He prevailed on his friend Ernest Schwiebert to be the keynote speaker at our first Leisenring Memorial Day. Schwiebert's appearance at this and subsequent events helped put our culinary events on the radar, I value the relationship that evolved with Dr Schwiebert and thank Larry. Ernie told me when he needed flies tied for one of his publications he went to Larry. The Dettes influence was apparent in Duckys ties making him a top tier. Larry spent his youth in Downsville, New York where he graduated from Downsville High School and Hartwick College. As a science teacher in Mount Upton, Andes and South Dayton (New York) he was a wrestling coach and official. After retiring he became Southern States Regional Director for Ducks Unlimited. Larry was an avid hunter, talented fisherman. a National Bird Bander for the Audubon Society and regarded nationally as a gifted fly tyer. He spent a month in China teaching local students fly tying as a means for them to earn a living. Larry had a love for music. He was an accomplished musician through voice, piano and trombone. (his love of the trombone was shared with other tiers like Jazz Flies author and Blood Sweat and Tears musician David W. Betterman, Chauncy Lively and me.) If you have any Ducky stories, please share them. I’ll update this page with them. I gleaned some of the above information from: https://bookhout-oneonta.tributes.com/dignitymemorial/obituary/Larry-Duckwall-101641855 https://www.tu.org/blog-posts/memorial-larry-duckwall-1937-2014